Brand identity: is yours being devalued?
Your brand identity is one of the most important aspects of your business. If you want your clients to know who you are, you need to know first.
I’m going to talk you through some reasons why you might need to rebrand, and how you can rebrand effectively.
You should rebrand if…
When you started your business, you never defined your brand.
You may have the name, the logo, and the brand colours, but there’s much more to branding. If you didn’t dedicate the appropriate time to developing your brand when you first started your business, you need to get it done ASAP.
Your brand should truly reflect your business. It translates your business plan into a customer facing proposition. Without it, you’re just another business trying to sell itself in the white noise of marketing.
Your brand is out of date
This could be because your service or offer has evolved. Businesses all evolve over time. It’s inevitable, especially when new opportunities arise for your business. You grow and refine your offering.
This is a really strong flag that it’s time for a rebrand. Your messages, positioning and whole business isn’t the same as it was when you last worked on your brand. It’s no longer reflecting who you are, which means it’s time to make a change.
You’re losing sales or customers
This isn’t necessarily because your service isn’t in demand. There could be new challenges in your industry, or your audience isn’t responding to what you’ve already put out there. It may be time to define your brand strategy and reposition for the future.
You shouldn’t rebrand if…
You just fancy it
Getting bored of your visuals every 6-12 months isn’t a reason to rebrand. Consistency is key in when it comes to business and branding. ‘B2B buyers are concerned with the vitality and longevity of the brands behind the products they buy.’ If you’re constantly changing your identity, your audience is just going to get confused.
Bear in mind that you may not be your audience. So if you’re getting bored of your visuals, that doesn’t mean your audience is. What might be a refreshing change for you, could actually put off your existing audience. Especially if you’ve already developed some brand equity.
This is the value that a brand’s name, images and associations add to a company’s product or service over and above the same product or service were it not to have the brand attached to it.
You’ve no brand experience but want to do it yourselves
Firstly, your brand isn’t just visuals so it’s not just about picking some colours and getting a new ‘whizzy’ logo. Branding is much more than this. Trust me, your audience will spot this a mile of if it’s not done right.
You’ve previously defined your brand and nothing’s changed since
It sounds like your brand is working for you already and you’re on the right track. If it’s a recent rebrand, bear in mind that brand is for the long-term so you’ll need to give it time for people to get to know you.
If you still want to rebrand, you need to consider…
Visual Identity
First impressions count. 90% of the information transmitted to the brain is visual. A weak identity stops you becoming recognisable and memorable.
If you're inconsistent or don't have a photography style that's unique to your business, your brand isn't working hard enough to make you stand out from your competitors.
Brand voice
46% of a brand’s image comes from what they say, and how they say it. Different people writing in different styles creates confusion and stops authenticity.
Your brand voice should feel like your audience is talking to a friend. You get the same voice every time, rather than not knowing who's going to turn up! A disjointed experience can upset potential customers and put them off.
Personality and meaning
If you don't know what your values and business mission are, how can you expect your customers to know? 64% of consumers cite shared values as the primary reason they have a relationship with a brand. Your values make your brand much more human.
Finding your brand is more than just designing a logo and colours and hoping for the best. Your brand is an essential tool for you to express who you are to your audience and impact how they view you.
If you need more help and advice about whether you’re due (or not due) a rebrand, please get in touch.